Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-05
WASHINGTON NEWS NOTES

WASHINGTON, March 2.-The conferees on
the Pacific Railroad investigation resolu.
ton have reached q complete agreement,
The House conferees adopted the Senate
amendment, but the clause creating the
commission is modified by striking out the
requirement that the Commissioner shall
be subject to confirmation by the Senate,
and 81 arranging the p~hraseology that the
PRESIDENTS power to appoint them during
recess sh Il be beyond question.
In the case of the British Indians who
wish to emigrate into Alaska, the Attorney
General decides that immigration of peace
tui individual Indians, who hav dissolved
their tribal relations, is not prohibited by
the statute and is not Inconsistent with
the general policy OF the Government, but
there is no provisions of law assuring to
such foreign Indians any legal right to &C.
quire lands, neither can the President set
aside a reservation for their occupation,
The Treasury Department has decided
that the wife OF a Chinese laborer is q per-
son whose original entry into this country
is prohibited by the Chinese Restriction
Act.
Acting Secretary Fairchild has forwarded
to the Senate, in esponse to Senator Al
drich' resolution calling for information in
regard to the importation of distilled spir-
it's bonded for export. two long reports
prepared by the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue. In the first report the commits.
sioner says that it is now. and has been
heretofore, the practice of the Office to co..
lect any and all penalties inc interest that
have occurred on such spirits. The second
report is a document OF over 100 pages III
fOolscap, n reviews every action OF the
department bearing on the question, to-
gether with the authority for so doing. 1t
also refers at length to the charges made of
alleged fraudulent practices in connection
with the expectation and re-exportation OF
domestic spirits. and shows that they were
without foundation.
Col. D. G. Geddings, ex-Congressman from
Texas and council for the Democratic side,
was the principal witness before the Texas
investigating committee to-day. He said
he o O no active part in the late contest.
He went to the meeting at Brennan be-
cause he was in favor OF law and order and
advised abstinence from all acts OF vic
lence. He had always advised against any
resort to mob law. One memorialist after.
wards said that his pacific course had
probably saved his (the memorialist's)
the Republican administration and threats
had been repeatedly made to
prosecute officials. He thought that the
unpopulality OF the membership wal not
due to their Republican views, but to the
fact that they manipulated the colored
vote and placed incompetent men in office.
He said that the re .,utation OF the memo.
was bad; that they we're Republi.
for revenue only, and when they
OF success in 1884. their occupation
gone, and having lost their prestige.
wanted to leave. 1t was his opinion
they desired to pose as martyrs be-
lore the country, and be able to secure rec
ignition in case of the ascendency of the
party. The reason the people
had not rebelled before was because they |
we're peaceable and law-abidiny people, and
ne believed that people in no country, in
any State in the East, South or West,
would submit to snch Republican methods
of administration one year, much less
as they had done. The testimony
Of Colonel Geddings closed the evidence of
he defense, and the committee adjourned
ill tomorrow, when evidence in rebuttal
will be submitted.